The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-01

FARM WORK FOR JUNE.
WITH OUR ENDLESS VARIETY OF REsoUR-
CEs WE SHOULD IMPORT NOTHING.
The Path TO Prosperous Success Blaz-
ed Out SO Clearly that None need
Lose the Way.
CORN AND COTTON
Having finished planting the main crops
and got them well under way. the work OF
continued cultivation will absorb most of the
time and attention OF the farmer. If the Se;-
sons during May, In any given section. have
been prnptious. the main object in view in
cultivating the crop will be to keep the surface
soil in q light, friable condition. The I'M
thinking la6orer conceives that the chief end
of blowing and h0eing is to prevent the weeds
from choking the crop. To such man-per-
haps there are many sncll-the grass and
weeds are blessing in disguise, compelling
him TO give the cultivation which would be
needed, even In the absence Of such Il bless
ing. Deep plowlng Of growing crops is now
fields not before well plowed. We want to
induce moderately rapid and healthful
growth OF the stalks Of corn and cotton-the
making Of sneed, as itis called in the case of
cotton. Therefore the roots of the plants
should not be torn and broken more than is
absolutely necessary. The upper inch or two
of the soil should be kept open and loose
The crust which forms after rain prevents
the easy access of the air above-laden with
plant food In the form OF carbonic acid and
nitrogen-and should be broken as often as
may be found expedient, not less s, than once ee
soft mellow soil that Is left behind the culti-
waiting implement acts very decidedly as n
mulching to the layer below in which the
roots are penetrating in every direction. Such
layer Of loose soil isa poor conductor OF
heat and therefore protects the roots of the
crop from the too rervid and scorching rays OF
the sun; and the interstices are not fine and
close enough toact as capillarieS in bringing
up the moisture from the soil about the roots
to he evaporated and lost, as would be the
case II the crust were permitted to remain
undisturbed. It should be the aim. there
fore, to go over the crop as rapidly as possible
after good season Of rain and to keep the
surface as constantly as possible in this loose,
open condition. How often crop should be
OF expedency. While 1t is true that crop
growing on poor land and but lightly fertli-
Zed will receive greater ratio OF benefit from
frequent and thorough cultivation than will
crop growing on rich or well-fertilizcd soil,
yet 1t pays best to give the naturally rich or
the highly fertiiZed land the preference-the
best and most frequent cultivation. We doubt
would give better returns Qess loss) if they
should receive no cultivation at all.
RAPID CULTIVATION.
The implements used in the South in culti-
waiting the crops are generally defective in the
respect that they are too srnall-they do not.
get over the crop fast enough. a light-run-
ming l2 TO IL inch sweep does not FULLY tax the
capacity OF stout mule to say nothing of the
smaller shovel and scooter, still SO much used.
The Southern farmer does not fully appreci.
ate the advantages of wide-spreading cultiva-
tors'and harrowS. Among the number OF cx-
panding, adjustable cultivators. on wheels or
North and West, we ought to be able to find
one that will answer our purpose better than
the sweep and heel-scrape. cotton middle
should DC cleaned out and stirred from row to
row at one through trip-a corn row at not
more than two. There is certainly an un-
necessary consumption Of time and travel
when from seven to nine furrows are given to
season, asis usually done, employing the time
OF an able-bodied hand and mule.
Several years ago, while watching the plow-
ing of q field OF cotton with 2i-inch sweeps
with the fact that, in making the return, or
second furrow. the big sweep was doing sub
stantally little more original work than
might have been done by three-inch garden
the sweep was tapping over and passing along
the furrow run just n few moments before.
10 remedy this on the spot we directed the
plowman to side "by the row" and skip every
other row. e. side both sides of every other
row. The result was Il gain oftust one-half
the time, and doing the work-sO far as mere
ly stirring the soil was concerned-almosta as
perfectly as If two burrows had been run in
each middle. This saving of time made 1t
possible to stir the soil--practically the entire
surface--twlce us often as before with precisely
the same labor Ofcourse at the next blowing
the rows not sided before received the special
attention, the others being left. We were so
pleased with the plan that 1t was adopted as
permanent resort, especially when 1t was
desirable TO go over the crop very rapidly, US
Immediately after heavy rain. The princi-
cultivation of wider rows, and the plan may
be modified or suspended according to circum-
stances. 1t Is equally applicable to- any of the
cultivators which do mol straddle the rowso as
to plow both sides OF 1t. AN implement de-
signed to run aStride the rows and side both
sides perfectly Is q desideruttnl in the earlier
stages of the crop. But in the absence Of such
cultvator the plan above detailed will often
rule Of plowing over the crop every three
weeks has but little to recommend 1T except
Its observance will prevent the absolute loss
of the crop. II but three plowings are to be
delay the first and hasten the second and third
SO as to make the intervals between plowlDgS
less.
SMALL GRAIN.
ofcourse the small grain crop must receive
attention as 1t ripens for the harvest, and no
reminder will be needed other than the rapid
fading OF the green into the golden yellow.
Remember that oats intended for feeding In
the sheaf should be cut when the tops of the
heads have turned yellow and while the straw
is still green. Cut rather high and cure well
before housing, rs they are very troublesome
to manage If put into stack or barn under
should also be cut before fully ripe but nearer
full ripeness than oats. The husll Or bran
will then be thinner and the yield Of fflourwll
be better than II the grain be permitted to full
ly harden. But all grain intended for seed
should be fully ripe, especially oats. It'll an
excellent plan to go over the fields and select
the choicest heads lin advance of the harvest
separate. In this way the quality OF the seed
in any desired respect may be kept up to the
original standard of excellence. and even
much improved. It Is probable that the pop
ular rust-proof oats and other varieties OF
grain were discovered and perpctuated in
this way.
SWEET POTATOES.
This is the favored time for enlarging the
area In sweet potatoes. The vines planted
now will do as WELL If not better, than the
slips from the old bed. But whether cut vines
or slips be used, paintings in June and July
will make cheaper and better keeping tubers
than paintings made during the months of
April and May. because they grow Off ut once
and require much less cultivation. We used
20 take pride In setting the earliest slips and
che largest area early in the season, until we
discovered that some of our neghbors who
we're not smart made more and better pota-
toes by planting later
Iyo nOtntn n c